Article on Sanctity of LIfe - Aramesh and H. Shadi

    Islamic jurisprudence, based on a convincing

interpretation of the holy Koran, does not recognize a

person’s right to die voluntarily. The Islamic arguments

against euthanasia can be summarized in two main

reasons: 1-Life is sacred and euthanasia and suicide are

not included among the reasons allowed for killing in

Islam. And 2-Allah decides how long each of us will

live and two verses support this reason.

According to Islamic teachings, life is a divine trust

and can not be terminated by any form of active or

passive voluntary intervention.11 All the Islamic

scholars regard active euthanasia as forbidden (Hiram)

and there is no difference between Sunni and Shiite

schools.

    The moment of death, ajal, is under the control of

Allah and the human has no say in this matter; the

human can not and should not attempt to hasten or

delay the ajal. The prohibition on life applies equally

well whether for self, suicide, or others, homicide or

genocide. The concepts of autonomy, freedom and

individual choice does not apply here for these two

reasons: a. life does not belong to the human; and b.

taking life will cause harm to the family and society in

general. An individual's freedom of choice is

constrained by the harm it causes to others.

Justifying the stance of advocates of euthanasia on

the basis of other factors such as economic concerns,

consideration of resources that could otherwise be

utilized by other patients and death with dignity does

not seem plausible because of crime nature of mercy

killing in Islamic point of view.3 Of course, we have to

exclude the situation in which the life support

equipments are switched off from a brain-dead person,

aimed to use them for saving the life of a live person.

As a conclusion we can say that the Islamic position

is that life belongs to Allah. It is He who gives and

takes away life. No human can give or take it. Muslims

are against euthanasia. They believe that all human life

is sacred because it is given by Allah, and that Allah

chooses how long each person will live. Human beings

should not interfere in this.

   There are two instances, however, that could be

interpreted as passive assistance in allowing a

terminally ill patient to die and would be permissible

by Islamic law: Administering analgesic agents that

might shorten the patient’s life, with the purpose of

relieving the physical pain or mental distress, and

withdrawing a futile treatment in the basis of informed

consent (of the immediate family members who act on

the professional advice of the physicians in charge of

the case) allowing death to take its natural course.11

If a patient is medically presumed dead through

what is known as brain death, switching off the life

support may be permissible, with due consultation and

care, especially when it is clear that the life support

machine becomes of no use for the already-dead patient

or in the case of organ and tissue donation for saving

another persons’ life which is a routine practice in Iran

and some other Muslim countries. Regarding end-stage

dementic patients, they should be considered as

completely human being and according to Islamic teachings; their life is scared and should not be taken.

What Does "Freedom" Mean to You?

Euthanasia and doctor assisted suicide is becoming legalized in more and more countries in the world. At the last stage of one's life, when one is faced by suffering, pain and dependance - people are beginning to choose death over life. It contradicts with a doctor's values to preserve life and heal, It may be due to depression or contracting the most deadlydiseases including HIV, AIDS, and cancer.  

 Surveys further indicate that religious values, practices and beliefs seem to have the highest correlation with the conceptof death and life. Agnostic and Atheism religious beliefs are the most supportive of Euthanasia while Muslims, Chrisitans,Jews and other faiths are generally not supportive of it.

  

Death and Life.Allah swt states "He who created death and life"....

  

Why is that? What does faith have to do with it? 

  

The biggest concern is "one should be able to choose" but the Canadian government has not legalized it because it values to sanctity of life, a doctor's job to preserve life above autonomy. Just like it provides people freedom of religion, freedom, autonomy at the expense that it does not violate the rights and dignity of another human being.. what if that violation is against oneself?

  

Is freedom and free will the most valuable entity that exists?Is beneficience more valuable than the right to freedom?and...if beneficience is more important than doesnt that open doors to so many other neglected ethics?

 Is freedom of speech more important than mannered restrained speech?Is moderation of temper, crime and violating the rights and dignity of other human beings not prohibited? Illegal? Are drugs, rape and abuse not illegal? Is peacenot more important than war?

  

Is the sancitity of life more important than the right to autonomy??? Was it ever ?? 

Freedom isnt beneficience - free will is great but to what extent? 

 

This test starts in this life and continues on to the next. Adam (a.s.) was sent to the earth for a reason.. cause restraint comes before freedom.The heavenly virtues are just not supposed to be compromised. ANd if you do keep compromising them, than how can you be in heaven? 

  

What most don't realize is true freedom and liberation is the liberation of the soul. If you remember watchign the lion kind as a child, as Mufasa showedSimba everything the light touched "except the shadowy place" why must we search the prohibited domains? 

IF Allah swt gave us free will, and if people sin against themselves anyways, than should euthanasia be allowed?

but...if you "choose" to "love" Allah swt more than it is haram. 

http://islamqa.info/en/70363

Resilience with Love

Recent studies reveal that the power of a kind word, good manners, politeness and social support and accepting the condition have a huge role on the resilience of people with disabilities. Our current society consists victim blaming, individualizing the client as deficient and stigmatizing behaviours towards those with illnesses. While we can hold the role of medicine accountable for curing several viral, bacterial and infectious diseases and saving lives, relieveing pain, enabling actives lives and performing caring functions, as the Prophet pbuh stated “you should seek medicaltreatment, because Allah, the Exalted, has let no disease exist withoutproviding for its cure, except for one ailment, namely, old age'."(Reported by Ahmad and the six sunnan. Tirmidi ), we cannot neglect the social conditions in which they exist. Through this article, I would like to raise awareness of the social factors contributing to the resilience of those with illness, the merit of becoming ill and helping those with illness and the impact of living the islamic lifestyle and following divine guidance that supersedes our limited understandings that are beyond our perceptions by comparing social anthropological studies that look at various social and environmental conditions and lifestyles.

Sickness; A Blessing or a Curse?

Historically in western soceity, religions were all generalized under giving illness stigmatizing labels such as deviance and satanic. (Crawford; 374)

The Prophet pbuh stated. “No Muslim is afflicted with any hurt, even if it is no more than thepricking of a thorn, but Allah wipes off his sins because of it and his sinsfall away from him as leaves fall from a tree'."(Abu Huraira)

Studies comparing migration of African Carribeans and Turkish in the Netherlands reveal that the social conditions for both groups included experiecing low levels of employment, low levels of education and while the social conditions made both groups vulnerable, the results were not the same. This suggests that the lower risks were reletaive to one’s expectations, ambitions and perceptions. The way we perceive illness and the conditions around us, and to the extent that which we internalize stress impacts our vulnerability to contractign diseases as well as resilience.

Accepting the societal labels, internalizing societal negative perceptions and stress can all heavily impact the well being of individuals. While certain lifestyle patterns can result in contractign dangerous chronic diseases including STDs, cancer and so on, many diseases do actually serve as blessings that expiate for sins in this world and should not be viewed negatively.   The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “On the Day of Resurrection, when people who had suffered affliction are given their reward, those who were healthy will wish their skins had been cut to pieces with scissors when they were in the world.”

Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2402.

How to Treat Individuals with illness

Many diseases today are caused or prolonged due to stress, lack of social support, heavy reliance on psychoactive druge, sleepign aid and pain relievers. (Crawford 373). Elders are being placed on social welfare programs and old houses, toddlers are being dropped into daycares and the structure of society are becoming more and more consumer based and individualistic. By ignoring the underlying causation of societal conditions in which illness is beginning to take root and societal imbalances are beginning to take place. Illness are beginning to prolonged. This is what happens when we think that we “know” it all and our perceptions without the aid of the firmness of divine guidance. In this specific article, I’m going to be discussing the way we should treat those with illnesses. It is Islamic etiquette to visit a sick Muslim, to provide him moral support,and to make sure that he or she is well taken care of.

The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "A Muslim has six obligations toanother Muslim." "What are these?" they asked. He replied:"To greet another Muslim when you meet him; to respond when he invitesyou; to give him your (sincerest) advice when he seeks it; to say 'may Allahhave mercy upon you' when he sneezes and says ' may Allah be praised '; tovisit him when he falls ill; and when he dies, to attend his funeral."

Negative attitudes stem from ignorance, fear and pity that are perpetuated by the media. Cross sectional studies indicate that Television is the main source of information about various illnesses and disorders. Family members also often become mroe hostile towards diseased members and act hostile towards them due to the perceived burden of care. (Smith & Reddy, 2011) . While women tend to be more expressive of compassion and empathy, these attitudes continue to persist. They negatively impact the social identity, social interactions and social institutions at the societal level causing distress for the individual and discrimination from the general public.   (Smith & Reddy, 2011)

In conclusion, I would like to make a point that as Muslims in society, we do not follow the negative attitudes that are created. That we - for the sake of Allah swt - show kindness, consideration, acceptance towards those with illnesses. That we see the merit in helping those and the rewards for doing good to members of our society during hardships.